Improvement in wheel-skates



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ruxnomzls PETERS ce., wAsHmmoN. n. c.

GEORGE W. HAWK, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Letters Patent No. 114,135, dated April 25,1871; antedated April 18,1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN WHEEL-SKATES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE YV. HAWK, of the city of Chicago, in thecounty of Cook and State cf Illinois, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in the art of Skating by the use of two wheels as runners,which I have named the Mentupede and I do hereby declare and make knownthat the following is a full; clear, and'exaet description of the same,reference being made in so doing to the accompanyingr drawing andletters and figures marked thereon, which forms part of thisspecification.

My said invention consists in a novel mechanical device to be attachedto the foot of a person in such a manner as ,to be perfectly secure andat thesame time take the place oi' a skate, as a healthy exercise, beingperfect-ly safe and very easy to manage. By the use of two wheels ofsuitable sizes the friction amounts to hut little, so that the devicemay be used on the streets and walks, and run over uneven snrfaces atpleasure, substantially as hereinafter described.

To enable those skilled in the a'rt to understand how to make and use myinvention, I will proceed to describe the saine with particularity,reference being made in so doing to the aforesaid drawing, in which-Figure l represents a side elevation of my invention Figure 2, avertical rear view or heel thereof taken at the line :u in tig. 1;

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the foot-stand C, showing the method ofsecuring the supportB to the same Figure 4 represents a bottom view ofthe vibrating support S;

Figure 5, a view of the pivot-bolt G;

Figure 6 is the shape of the spring c and Figure 7, a perspective viewof the friction-lever c and spring al.

Similar' letters of reference in the different figures indicate the sameparts in my invention.

A represents a foot secured to the foot-stand C, fig. 1, by means ofsuitable straps and buckles M L H, or other' suitable devices may beused for the same purpose ifdesired. Said straps M L may be secured tothe foot-stand C, iig. 1, by rivets, screws, or slots.

B represents the stationary or main support for the wheel Ne, vibratingsupport and wheel S and N.

Said support B is secured to the bottom of the foot stand C by rivets orscrews, as shown in figs. 3 and 4, or otherwise, as desired.

It will be observed that the support B is provided with a socket, intowhich the vibrating pivoted support S is made to t in such a manner asto form a hinge or joint, and both parts B and S, figs. 1 and 4, areconnected and held together by the pivot-bolt G passing through the topof the footstand C and into the support B, then through the vibrator S,.ind held into place by a serew-thread or any other suitable device atv, as shown by the red dotted lilies in iig. 1.

The vibrating support S is provided with a lug or projection, b, againstwhich the spring a', figs. 1, 3, and (i, acts in such a manneras to keepthe vibrator and wheel N in a straight line with the wheel Ne when themachine is raised and in a hanging position. It will be observed thatthe course of the machine -while running may be changed, at the will oft-he operator, by twisting the foot-stand C s'o as to throw the heel ofthe same to the right or left-of the center, thus moving thesteering-wheel out of line, causing the machine to curve, as moreclearly shown in iig. 3 by the dark dotted lines N N N and S S S. N e isthe stationary position of the front wheel, indicated by the dark dottedlines.

The Wheels Ne and N may be inade as shown in fig. 1, or in any otherstyle desired, of any suitable mate rial, and provided with suitablebands or tires of brass, iron, steel, wood, or vulcanized India rubber,as desired.

rlhe aforesaid wheels Nc and N are provided with lugs or journals attheir centers, and the said journals revolve in suitable boxes orbearings, as shown in figs. 1, 2, and 4 at o o thereof; or insteadV ofsaid journals the wheels may revolve on a stationary bolt or axle, orany other suitable device.

The projection P on the aforesaid vibrating support S may befextended upabove thc-top of the wheel N, and be provided with friction-rollersacting against the bottom of the aforesaid foot-stand C, for the purpose of preventing said wheel coming in contact with the Same.

The spring aJ is fastened and secured to the aforesaid foot-stand bymeans of rivets, screws, or otherwise, as desired; or instead of theaforesaid device a suitable spring may be arranged on and secured to thevibrating support S, and the same act against the foot-stand C or thesupport B, for the purpose shownA in figs. 1 and 3.

E represents a curved metallic Vstripshaped to tit the calf of the leg,and provided with a suitable strap, H, secured to one end of the saidstrip E by rivets or otherwise, as desired. Said strap H may be providedwith suitable button-holes or hooks, as shown in iig. l, for the purposeof elasping and securing the two parts around the leg.

It is a button or knob for holding one end of said strap. Suitablebuckles or clasps may be used instead of the above device, if desired.

The said strip E has attached to its ends the upper end of thebrake-levers F F F, by means of rivets, as shown iu gs. 1 and .2. Thesaid brake-levers are pivoted to the heel-support D at t li, therebyforming a fulcrnin thereof for the loop or fastening on the lower end ofthe levels F F at h h, gs. l and 2, to which is fastened the ends of thecord or chain I, as

shown. l

Said cord or chain passes over grooved pulleys f f, pivotcd at g g,figs; 1 and 2, as shown, then through a loop, P, in the friction-leverc. Said friction-lever is pivoted at e, as shown by the dark dottedlines in fig. 1. It will be observed that by moving said brakelevers .atthe top forward or backward, as the case may be, that h h draws on thesaid cord or chain I, thus forcing the lower end or rubber part of saidfriction-lever against the said wheel Ne, thereby retarding its motion.Y

,Said lever c is provided with asuitable spring, (l, as shown in figs. 1and '7, which acts against the footst-and G in such a manner as to keepthe rubber part of said lever away from the wheel when the cord or chainis slacked.

Having described the construction and operation of my mentupede,

y 1. The combination and arrangement of the footstand C, straps or'clasps M L, main support B, yibrating pivoted support S, lwiaeelsNe N,having suitaud pivot-bolt G, friction-lever c, and its spring d,operating substantially as and for the purposes herein shown andspecified.

2. The metallic strip E, suitable strap H, knob R., brake-levers F F,heel-snpport D, and fnlcrums i i, oord or chain I, loop or clasp h,pulleys f f,operating substantially as and for the purposes hereindescribe( and set forth'.

3. The combination of the foot-stand C, stationary support B as arrangedfor the front wheel Ne, pivoted vibrating support S as arranged for there ar wheelN, double-acting sp1-ing a, and lug b, for the purposesherein shown andspecified. Y

4.` The joint and bolt G arranged between the front wheel Ne andrearWheel N.

G. W'. HAWK.`

` Witnesses:

C. G. UDELL, B. H. CAMPBELL.

able tires or bands, also suitable' bearings o o o o, joint

